August 30-September 5 Melplan

G and I are closing on our first home next week and I can’t wait to get out of our apartment. Everything I’ve been doing lately has been a bit messier and lazier because of the move so that will most likely show in the meals to come… (I saved $120 today, so at least that part has stayed the same!)*Ravioli MarinaraI bought some fresh, whole wheat ravioli last week and never got around to using it so we’ll have it with a simple, homemade marinara sauce on Sunday, ‘Pasta Night’.*Tequila Chicken with Red Pepper Saute and Guacamole RiceBone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are on a great sale this week so I stocked up. I found some red bell peppers at a good price too so that made me think of Mexico… The Guacamole Rice is so yummy: You make guacamole how you normally do, but smooth instead of chunky, and then stir it into cooked rice.*Barbecue Baby Back Ribs and Corn in the CobRibs are also on special this week and I cannot resist buying them whenever the price is right. I’m such a sucker for ribs, (pun intended). Corn is always cheap so we’re gonna keep it simple and have a messy, summer night dinner. (This really makes me wish we could eat it on our picnic table, in our new yard.)*Bossa Nova Steak NightI think I’ve posted this before, so I won’t go into too much detail but “Bossa Nova” is a restaurant in LA that G and I fell in love with, so we replicate our favorite meal from there whenever we’re craving it. Flat-iron steaks (from my freezer), re-‘fried’ black beans, buttery-sweet-smashed plantains (but bananas for us since I have them), and a raw tomato salsa. Brazilian Perfection.*Sweet’n’Soy Pork Tenderloins and Garlicky Green BeansI have a tenderloin in my freezer that I’ll marinate in soy sauce and brown sugar and glaze with the same ingredients. And there are some green beans leftover from last week’s trip so I’ll saute them with some thinly sliced garlic cloves, sesame seeds and crushed red pepper flakes.*Roasted Chicken Breasts and Sweet Pea RisottoWe haven’t made risotto in a long time and I started to crave it today. I love making risotto, it’s so easy to do and completely soul-satisfying. I always, as you know, keep green peas in my freezer and they are a great addition to the dish. We’ll have it with a simple, but yummy, roasted chicken breast. Comfort on a plate.*Make Your Own Pizza NightI always keep pizza dough (homemade or store-bought) on hand because we love making our own at home. We especially love to each make our own, individual pizzas. We just raid our fridge and pantry to see what needs to be used and have a contest to see who makes the best pizza. I always win. But G thinks he does.Happy Eating Everyone!

Abbey Wade is a lifestyle blogger from the Charlotte, North Carolina area. On her website, MyEverydayChampagne.com, she shares custom recipes, tips on food and wine pairing, fashion advice and makeup fun... all under an approachable budget and timeline. Stop waiting for a special occasion to feel like you're in one ;-)

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5 Comments

Do you have a favorite marinade for the flat iron steak? My standard is lots of cilantro (stems and all), garlic, a jalapeno pepper or two, fresh lime juice, cumin, and salt and pepper pureed into a thin paste in a food processor. Put the whole mixture in a large zip-lock baggie with the flat iron steak–and marinate for at least 8 hours. Then grill.

Actually we don't really like to marinate our steaks, we tend to go for simple seasoning and then top it with a sauce from time to time. London Broil and Carne Asada are exceptions and I love your marinade idea. Next time try pineapple juice instead of the lime and see if you like it..(I always have cans of pineapple juice in my pantry and don't always have fresh limes) Thanks!

The limes go a long way to tenderize as well as flavor what is, otherwise, a rather tough cut of steak. It's worth a trip to The Food Lion from time to time to stock up on fresh limes at 5 for $1.00. I love slices of sweet summer cantaloupe sprinkled with a little chili powder and a squeeze of fresh lime for a side dish or dessert–even for breakfast.

…forgot to mention that you need to add a little olive oil to make that flat iron steak/carne asada marinade.

Do you eat all your dinner leftovers for lunch the nextday? Or do you try to make small-enough amounts that you won't have leftovers? I always try to economize on time and dollars by thinking two-fer, making enough marinated grilled flat-iron steak, for example, so I'll have some to slice thin for tacos on another night….and try to think of leftover roasted vegetables as the start of a frittata supper or a cream of anything soup for another night. (An immersion wand is my favorite kitchen gadget). A HT special on whole Mediterranean Sea Bass last week was a broiled fish dinner one night (whole fish simply stuffed with slices of onion and fennel and lemon, salt and peppered and drizzled with olive oil), then a thrifty housewife's creamy fish chowder another night (with all the discarded fish parts, bones, etc. boiled,then strained, for stock to start it).

Oh I don't think the flatiron it a tough cut of meat at all, it's actually one of my favorites! Obviously it's not as soft as, let's say the tenderloin, but I happen to love the texture and flavor of it. And as much as I love limes, they're aren't always in my budget for that week. The pineapple juice acts as a tenderizer for the meat as well because it's also an acid. (Canned pineapple or juice happens to go on sale often, and my toddler loves pineapple chunks as a snack, so I can stock up and keep them in my pantry for weeks…the limes don't last as long!) And I do love what you say you do to cantaloupe slices… the lime and chili powder are wonderful flavor enhancers (for mango too!). Thanks again for your input!

About EDC

Hi. I'm Abbey. Welcome to Everyday Champagne! EDC is a blog focused on Food & Wine, Style and Fun. My recipes and photos have been featured by The Huffington Post, Esquire Magazine, Yahoo Style, ABC's The Chew, Whole Foods, The Daily Meal, dōTerra, Feed Feed, LikeToCookIt, TasteSpotting, FoodGawker, Burger Weekly and Cabot Creamery. I believe that you should never wait for a holiday to cook the best food you can, put your best face forward, or feel your happiest, and that everyday is as special as the last. It's all about celebrating the small things... and believing you deserve a little champagne everyday ;-).
So cheers, y'all.
Now let's have some fun.